Cassandra, also knows as Art Polansky, apparently died on December 5th. The only way I know this is that Short Mountain Sanctuary has received a notice that his will is in probate, and he left them some money. Cassandra loved visiting Zuni, and read his amazing poetry at Know Talent Shows. His acerbic sense of humor will be greatly missed.

He was a wonderful potter, and lived in North Asheville as a hermit. He partcipated in public bridge tournaments, and that gave him pleasure. I don't know if he had close friends or family. A few of us in Asheville who knew him are having a memorial on March 7th at 5PM. Let me know if you want to attend.

I've been digging through files, and have found some haiku written by Cassandra from a gathering at Short Mountain, probably in 1998. I don't remember the occasion, but it was clearly something to do with a circus, and he must have written these really fast - I have 4 pages worth (about 30 haiku). Here are some samples:


Why would people wear
Lampshade hats and balloon pants?
Air conditioning.

Live in a glass house.
Throw stones.
Understand Buddha.

Into every act
A glass of silly putty
Must be injected.

Master the big cats.
Master the bears and the snakes.
And then, master me.

Step right up and see
Why they ride so carefully:
Oats and Viagra.

Why I give prunes to
Constipated elephants:
I love a parade.

If anyone has other (longer) poems by Cassandra, let me know.

Sadly,
Mountaine